Blinken: Hamas's Acceptance of Ceasefire Resolution is Encouraging

A senior official from the extremist group Hamas announced that the group has accepted the UN resolution to end the war with Israel in Gaza and is ready to negotiate its details. On Tuesday, June 22, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described these statements as "an encouraging sign." After meeting with Israeli leaders, he stated that discussions regarding plans for Gaza after the end of the Israel-Hamas war will continue in the coming days. He emphasized that "having these plans is essential." Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. Mr. Blinken met with Israeli officials a day after the UN Security Council approved President Joe Biden's ceasefire proposal to end the eight-month war that has devastated Gaza. Prior to the U.S. Secretary of State's visit, both Israel and Hamas insisted on their hardline positions, undermining previous mediation efforts to end the war, while Israel continued its attacks in central and southern Gaza, which have been among the bloodiest in this war. The Israeli army reported that four of its soldiers were killed in southern Gaza. However, Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official based outside Gaza, stated on Tuesday that his group has accepted the ceasefire resolution and is ready to negotiate details. He added that it is now up to Washington to ensure that Israel will adhere to this resolution. Mr. Abu Zuhri stated that Hamas has accepted a formula for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the exchange of hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. He told Reuters, "The U.S. government faces a real test in fulfilling its commitments to force the occupier to immediately end the war in implementing the UN Security Council resolution." Antony Blinken also stated that Hamas's statement is "an encouraging sign," but that a definitive leadership decision from Hamas inside Gaza is still needed. He added, "This is what matters, and this is what we still do not have." Biden's proposal envisions a phased ceasefire and the release of hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, ultimately leading to a permanent end to the war. Israel has stated that it will only agree to a temporary halt in fighting until Hamas is defeated, while Hamas has said it will not accept any agreement that does not entail an end to the war. Before departing for Jordan, Blinken told reporters that his discussions would also address post-war plans for Gaza, including security, governance, and reconstruction of this densely populated area. This trip marks his eighth visit to the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last October, and he also hopes to address the rising violence between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as both sides have indicated their readiness for a major conflict. On Monday, before traveling to Israel, he spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a key mediator in the Gaza war, and then met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant. Blinken consulted with Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, Benny Gantz, the former Chief of Staff who left the Israeli war cabinet on Sunday due to what he called Netanyahu's failure to present a plan to end the war, and also with Yair Lapid, the opposition leader. The U.S. State Department announced that Blinken discussed Biden's ceasefire proposal with Gantz and reiterated that this advances Israel's security interests, brings hostages home, and increases the chances of restoring calm along the Israel-Lebanon border. The United States is Israel's closest ally and largest arms supplier, although it has strongly criticized the Israeli government due to high civilian casualties, widespread destruction, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza resulting from Israeli military operations. The war in Gaza continued on Tuesday, with Israeli forces intensifying their attacks on the city of Rafah a day after four soldiers were killed in an ambush claimed by Hamas. Biden has repeatedly stated in recent months that a ceasefire is near, but only a one-week ceasefire occurred in November, during which over 100 hostages were released in exchange for about 240 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. According to Israeli statistics, over 100 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, including at least 40 whom Israeli officials have declared dead.